Senior FPGA Engineer
Job Description
At the heart of most of our products is an FPGA doing the core video and audio processing. FPGA code is responsible for adjusting video levels, routing video and audio data between chips, synthesizing an onboard processor for command and control operations, driving touch panel screens, generating and extracting all kinds of video metadata, buffering and playing back video frames, and communicating with the outside world. To a large extent, the FPGA design is the product design.
As a Senior FPGA engineer, you will have responsibility for design of the FPGA system. You will define and develop new IP to solve specific video related problems. For each new product, you will design an FPGA architecture that accomplishes the goals of that product. You’ll oversee the development and test activities of other FPGA engineers on staff. Although you will be a leader, you are not just a manager--mostly here we lead by example. You will be doing a lot of direct development on the products. You’ll have a private office, and we strive to keep distractions to a minimum, so you can be free to do the brilliant designs that are needed for our world-class products.
Personal Requirements
- Self-starter - Demonstrated history of looking for problems to solve and solving them.
- Good communicator - Communicates ideas well, speaks up when he or she has a better way of doing things, gives and takes constructive criticism well.
- Accurate estimator - Ability to estimate how long development tasks will take.
- Capable leader - Demonstrated history of coaching junior engineers and helping them be useful contributors to large projects.
- A Closer - History of bringing projects to a close, creating a shippable product, and getting the job done.
Skill Requirements
- Xilinx FPGA experience – We primarily use Xilinx FPGAs. Experience with Virtex 5 designs is a big plus. Experience setting up Microblaze systems is also a big help.
- MGT/GTP experience – Having worked on 1 Gbps+ communications interfaces on Xilinx FPGAs is very valuable. We use the GTP transceivers on Virtex 5 to interface to HD-SDI uncompressed digital video signals.
- Modelsim test design – We use Modelsim for behavioral testing of new code, being able to push Modelsim to its limits is a very useful skill to have.
- Complex clocking – Having experience with designs that use multiple clock domains is important. Most video systems involve some amount of synchronization.
- Digital Video – Having worked with Digital Video, especially SMPTE standard SDI video, is helpful.
- Digital Audio – Experience working with Digital Audio is a plus as well, especially the AES3 digital audio standard.
- Programming experience – Sometimes some software is needed to fully validate FPGA IP. Being able to write your own test programs in C is very useful. We also use Python for workstation tool development.
Start Date
ASAP
Benefits
We offer group health insurance for employees and dependents, a 401(k) with matching contributions, a generous company holiday schedule, and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We also support and promote our employees pursuing graduate coursework at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Contact
Thank you for considering a career with Cobalt Digital. To apply, please send your resume to Human Resources at hr@cobaltdigital.com.
